Visions 3
by JediMagnet09
Summary: Part of the Visions Series.  Sam has a vision while at school and the Winchesters - and Pastor Jim and Bobby! - are thrown into a new, very dangerous hunt.  Will they all come out alive?  Can Sam save his family when the hunters become the hunted?
1. Chapter 1

Here is the first chapter (of two) for the next story in the Visions series! Sorry it's been so long! I just finished my first year of college and had a ton of finals and projects and stuff to work on! I'm finally home and have a bit of time to sit down and post this! I hope you like it and PLEASE REVIEW! Hopefully I'll be posting the second (and final I think) chapter probably within the next week! Thanks for reading!

* * *

Sam couldn't help the flinch. He knew he was a Winchester and, as such, shouldn't let these losers get to him, but he couldn't help it. Words like "freak" still got to him. He hated that label with a passion.

"Come on, freak! You gonna take _us_ on?"

_Crap. Shouldn't have flinched. Now that's __**all**__ they'll call me._

"No, he's not."

Sam turned at the sudden new voice, unable to prevent the smile of relief and satisfaction that spread across his face when he saw his big brother striding up, looming over them angrily.

"But I will."

The bullies didn't look nervous. If anything, they looked amused. "Ah look, it's the freak's retarded older brother! What a pair they make, huh? The freak and the retard!" One of them laughed.

Now Sam was burning with anger. _"Retarded"? Are they nuts? Dean isn't stupid. _Before he knew what he was doing, Sam was moving forward, but a restraining hand on his shoulder had him looking up at Dean.

Dean's face was hard, but upon meeting his eyes, Sam saw that Dean was amused, and touched, by Sam's anger.

"Back off, guys, or you'll be wiping your own blood off the floor." Dean's voice was full of warning.

"What, too scared to fight us, Winchester? Gonna run home to mommy, retard?"

The boys had finally hit a nerve. Dean's muscles flexed as his jaw tightened and his hands formed into fists. "If you value your pitiful, useless life, you won't say that again."

_Uh-oh. _Now Sam was putting a restraining hand on Dean's arm, well-aware that the stupid morons had just crossed into dangerous territory. He barely restrained a sigh of relief as the bell rang.

The guys reluctantly moved off, throwing smirks at the two Winchesters.

"Thanks, Dean." Sam smiled at him and started to move off to his first class.

Dean nodded, his face clear, but his eyes stormy and upset as he left, clearly thoughts of his long dead mother on his mind. "Watch your back, kiddo." And he was gone.

Sam sighed, but anger rose in his chest again. _Those jerks are gonna pay. _

….

Dean was bored. He was extremely, ridiculously, mind-numbingly bored. _I hate school. Should be out there hunting a ghost or something and instead I'm stuck in here learning about useless crap that I'm never going to use again. Crap_. Dean restrained a sigh, rubbing a hand over his face to keep himself awake. _Ugh. Dang, I wish a ghost would just like pop in here. Right now. That'd be great! Then I could save everyone. Except for those morons from this morning. The ghost can throw them out the window for all I care. Show them who's "retarded". And I'm sure that would earn me some…. uh…. …..'appreciation' from Miss Becky Rawlins over there. Oh, yeah. That's what I'm talking about. _

"Mr. Winchester, are you paying attention?"

…

_This is pretty cool._ Sam thought off-handedly, as the teacher lectured about a new English concept they were being taught today. Well, new for everyone else. He'd been taught this at the last three schools he'd been to. _At least the homework won't take too long._ Sam had to restrain a sudden smirk at the thought of his brother and this new school. _Dean has got to be so bored. All the repeated concepts… _ He rubbed at his head unconsciously as a small throbbing began in his temples. _Can't wait to see Dean after school. He's going to be so grumpy. Perfect time to pull the prank. _ Sam couldn't help but hope that it would help cheer his brother up a little too if he was as crabby from boredom and the pain of memories as Sam expected him to be.

…..

_Just got to make it through this class. Just this one. _Unfortunately, Sam wasn't sure if he was going to make it to the end. His head was throbbing, pounding, and he knew that if he didn't get out _now, _he would be screaming in front of the entire classroom and that would _not_ be good. _Crap. Think, Sam, think! Say __**anything**__!_ Finally, he raised his hand and asked if he could go to the bathroom. The teacher smiled at him and nodded. _Thank heavens for…..what does Dean call them?...my puppy dog eyes?...yeah, that's it. _

Sam stumbled down the hallway, grateful as he finally burst through the bathroom doors and locked himself in the last and largest stall. He finally let a small whimper escape his lips as the pain crested in another wave and he knew in that moment that he couldn't do this without Dean. Grabbing his cell, he managed to type four letters that he knew would bring his brother running and probably in full panic mode. _'Help'_

…

_I'm going to shoot myself. I swear. One more word and I'm doing it. Wait. No gun. Okay, how about...no, I don't have my knife either. Stupid security guards and school rules. Let's see…..I could….I wonder if it would hurt too bad if I stuffed chalk down my own throat? Hmm….naw, too slow and messy. Not a good way to go. Uh…..maybe I could __**summon**__ a spirit and….no, dad would kick my butt. Crap. _It was after this desperate thought that Dean felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Pulling it out, he carefully hid it so the teacher wouldn't see. The message he saw there, from Sam, sent his big brother instincts into full panic mode.

'_Help'_

Dean raised his hand, stuffing his phone in his pocket, and requested to go to the bathroom. He had a little brother to find. _Hang on, Sammy. I'm coming._

….

Sam was sure he was dying. The headache was grinding through his head, and he clutched it agonizingly, wishing he would just hurry up and _die_ already, just to get it over with. Some part of him knew this was just the oncoming vision though. _Dean! Dean, please! I can't do this without you! H-hurts, Dean. _Sam could barely think through the pain, but some part of his logical way of thinking broke through, sending one thought through his head over and over. _Don't scream. Don't scream. Wait for Dean. Don't scream. Don't scream._

…..

_Okay. Don't panic. Think. THINK! Last class of the day, where is Sam? _Dean headed up to the third floor, determined to do this logically. As much as he wanted to, running through the halls screaming for Sam would only get him in trouble and Sam in more trouble. _I don't know what's wrong, I don't know what's going on. He could be bleeding to death, he could be __**dying**__….. No! No, we're at school, how could he possibly bleed to death? Oops. Don't tempt fate. If anyone could find a way, Sam could. _

Dean peeked casually into Sam's classroom, his heart dropping when he saw Sam wasn't there. _Okay. Um…..bathroom. Try the bathroom next._

Dean opened the door and stepped in and instantly his instincts fired up. Sam was here. He could feel it. He _knew _it. "Sammy?" he called, hesitantly. A whimper greeted his call, sending icy shivers of horror down the older brother's spine. Sam was in a great deal of pain. That's when Dean knew. _Ah crap. Vision. _

….

Sam wasn't sure when exactly it happened, but Dean's sudden presence by his side was amazingly comforting. "D-Dean?"

"I'm here, Sammy. Vision, right?"

A moan was the only answer Sam could give.

"Okay. It's okay. It'll be over soon, Sammy. Just hang on." Dean's voice was soothing and calm and Sam felt himself relax just a tad at the sound. _Dean's here. It'll be okay. He's here._

….

Dean pulled Sam into his arms, gently and carefully. He meant what he said. The vision _would_ be over soon. _But he'll be screaming and suffering in the meantime. _Dean flinched at the memories of the past visions. Sam's screaming haunted his every nightmare.

"D-Dean….h-hurts." Sam whimpered, his tone pleading, begging for him to help.

Dean felt his heart ache painfully at the words. "I know, Sammy. It'll be okay. I'm here."

As if the reassurance was all the invitation he needed, Sam suddenly jerked violently, pitching forward, his face buried in Dean's chest, an agonized scream, muffled by the shirt, ripping through him. A sobbing cry followed, Sam's hands fisting in Dean's t-shirt, his body trembling and shaking from the pain. Sam tried to choke out his brother's name, but was cut off by another wave of pain.

Dean held Sam to him, rubbing soothing circles on his back, silently pleading to whatever higher power might be listening that it would just be _over_.

As if in answer to his plea, Sam suddenly went stiff in his arms. He was completely still, the silence deafening compared to the muffled screams Dean had just been forced to listen to. His breathing stilled as well. No matter how many visions Sam had, Dean would never be used to that one.

What felt like an eternity later, Sam finally went completely limp against his brother.

Dean jerked his head up as he heard the door start to open. Even as panic rushed adrenaline through his system (_we can't get caught!_), his body was already acting. As gently as he could, he tightened his grip on his brother, sliding an arm under his knees, and lifted his weak body up in his arms, then just stood there, hoping no one had seen Sam's limp body yet.

Sam began to stir just slightly in his arms and Dean immediately leaned over, slightly awkwardly, pressing his forehead to his brother's and murmuring softly, for Sam's ears only, over and over, "It's okay, Sammy. Just keep still, okay? Trust me, just hold still. It's over. You're okay. It's okay. I'm here."

He sensed more than saw Sam's face shift in pain, the headache from his vision still lingering, and Dean tightened his hold in response, his voice inaudible to any but his baby brother, as he continued murmuring soothingly.

_Come on, moron, get out of the bathroom already! _Dean silently cursed the intruder.

Finally, the intruder left and Dean relaxed slightly, looking down at Sam, who's eyes were just flickering open, searching aimlessly for something before resting on Dean. Sam looked confused, which was typical right after an "episode".

"Think you can stand, Sam? We should probably get out of here before we have any more guests. You can rest in the car, okay?" That was another thing that bothered Dean about Sam's visions. The symptoms seemed to get slowly but steadily worse every time, while the warning headache came on later, thus giving them less of a head start in getting Sam situated. Dean expected Sam to be fairly weak physically for a while yet.

Sam nodded and Dean carefully set him down, but kept a firm hold on Sam's shoulders till he was sure. It was a wobbly stance, but he was standing. Dean grabbed Sam's backpack, helping Sam put it on, then peeking his head out of the bathroom stall to check to see the place was empty. It was, so Dean moved out and ushered Sam to the bathroom door.

It quickly became apparent that Sam was struggling to keep on his feet. He was dead tired and his headache still lingered. Dean, trying to be subtle yet helpful, held onto Sam's backpack handle casually, yet firmly, helping his baby brother keep on his feet.

"Do you need anything before we leave, Sammy?" Dean asked.

Sam paused, thinking, then flashed a small smile at his brother. "Could we run by my locker real quick?"

There was a flash of something strange in Sam's eyes (_amusement? Irritation? Determination? All of the above? Hmm…..)_ and Dean's interest, and suspicions, were instantly aroused. _What are you up to baby brother? _

They walked over to Sam's locker and Dean instantly tensed as he saw who was standing next to it, fiddling with the locker next to Sam's. One of the bullies from earlier that morning. A second later, his buddies joined him.

Just as Dean was about to usher Sam to the car, thinking he could come back and get whatever Sam needed, there was a loud bang from the bully's locker.

Screams rang through the hall, but the loudest and shrillest by far was from the big-mouths who had insulted Dean and Sam earlier that morning. Dean tensed instantly, alert for trouble, but Sam was smirking.

"_Now _who's a coward?" Sam's vicious murmur at his side had Dean glancing at him in surprise. A sudden grin split his face, a laugh breaking from him unexpectedly.

"You _didn't?_!"

Sam's responding grin answered _that_ question.

"Ah, Sammy, my hero." It was said teasingly, but Dean couldn't help but feel touched by Sam's efforts. The fact that he had been so offended by the bully's earlier accusations told Dean that he wasn't the only one who had a brother to watch over. Sam had his back too. _I love you too, kiddo._

Clearly, Sam got the message, because his grin widened even more and he smiled a full-blown dimples and puppy dog eyes smile at his big brother.

"Come on, Sammy. Let's get to the Impala." Dean's smile was softer than normal, his eyes lit up with amusement. "Dang, Sam, how the heck did you…..?"

"Fireworks. Got them during lunch and rigged them so when he opened his locker they would go off." Sam sounded proud of his efforts.

"How did you know he wasn't going to go to his locker between now and lunch?"

Sam grimaced. "I go to my locker between every class usually and since his is right next to mine…."

Dean scowled. "You see him after school every day."

Sam nodded, then smirked again. "Somehow, after that shriek he treated us too earlier, I don't think I'm going to have many problems with him for a while."

Dean chuckled. "Yeah, probably not."

…..

"Tell dad what you saw, Sammy." Dean instructed. They had arrived at the motel and were now sitting around the kitchen table.

John watched Sam steadily, tucking away his own feelings of disbelief where the visions were concerned. _Trust. I trust Sam. Sam trusts the visions. So, I trust the visions. In theory anyway. _

Sam kept his gaze on the table as he spoke, aware that his dad didn't like the visions but was making an effort to listen for his sake (and Dean's). "We were near a lake. I saw a sign that said the lake was called..." Sam gave a small smile. "Winchester Lake, actually. There were a lot of trees and it looked warm and like a nice day out. You, Dad, Pastor Jim, and Uncle Bobby were all there. I wasn't. You were all on alert, tense, so it was pretty obvious you were hunting and you _knew_ what you were hunting. None of you held guns. You all were holding machetes or knives, I think they were made of iron." Sam sighed, hiding his face in his hands for a second, looking tired. "That's it."

John was silent for a second, feeling Dean's gaze on him, almost warningly. "Okay. I want you two to look up anything about Winchester Lake and see if there are any strange things happening in the area. I'm going to make a couple of calls. Seems Pastor Jim and Bobby are going to be helpful on this one." _See? That didn't sound too judgmental or disbelieving right? Yeah. Dean AND Sam should be happy with that. Sorry, kiddo. Suppose this "accepting your powers" stuff isn't as easy as it sounds._


	2. Chapter 2

So here's the next chapter! There's going to be at least one more and it will hopefully be posted tomorrow or the next day... :) Thanks so much for reading, enjoy, and PLEASE REVIEW! :)

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"Okay, so I checked up on Winchester Lake."

The three older hunters turned to look at Dean, expectantly. Bobby and Pastor Jim had arrived that morning upon receiving John's call, both willing and eager to help. Neither knew about Sam's visions and John wanted to keep it that way. _The fewer people that know about these freak visions the better. _

"Over the space of the last month, over 20 people have disappeared in groups of anywhere from three to eight people. The police have no idea what's going on. There's no blood or anything _too _out of place around where the disappearances took place. The campers and hikers who were taken….all their stuff was sitting around, untouched. It was like they had all just dropped their stuff and left. There were no footprints leading away from their stuff and no drag prints. However, the police did report that there was a trail of wet patches that led off in some apparently random direction, at least that's what they think. They didn't follow up on it, but did think it was important enough to put in the reports." Dean laid a map out on the table, pointing to several red circles on the map with red lines spouting off from them, all towards the same spot. "The wet patches weren't followed all the way, but they appeared to all be leading towards this area." Dean finished. He glanced at Sam with an encouraging smile, who stepped forward in response.

"I've been researching creatures that seem to follow these patterns. So far, I've narrowed it down quite a bit. We're definitely dealing with some sort of water creature or spirit. I….um….." Sam glanced at Dean, rather nervous at the idea of sharing his opinion with these experienced hunters. Dean laid a hand on Sam's shoulder, nodding subtly. Sam took a deep breath. "I think it's a cross between the two. The wet patches are the only trail it leaves, the people disappeared without a trace and the stuff wasn't taken. My best guess is 'Animus rapio phasmatis lacus' which roughly translates to 'soul stealing spirit of the lake'. They are weak against iron." Sam glanced at Dean, whose eyes widened slightly at the connection. It was just like his vision. They were all holding iron weapons.

Pastor Jim and Bobby looked impressed. "Good work boys." The Pastor praised.

Sam blushed slightly and Dean looked embarrassed at the compliment. "Thank you, Pastor Jim." Sam said softly.

John held back a sigh. _Sam chose that water spirit because of what he saw in his vision. _He was sure Sam had put _some _work into it, but….. _They rely too much on those visions._

….

Sam sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the wall, only vaguely aware of Dean sitting beside him watching tv and his dad and the other hunters discussing the upcoming hunt at the table. His head was starting to throb and he knew he should probably tell Dean, but he didn't want to alarm his brother and he was just so _tired_ of these visions. _Maybe it's not a vision. People get headaches all the time. _A voice in the back of his mind added sneeringly, "_**Normal**__ people get headaches. You're not normal." _Sam sighed. _No. I'm not normal. 'Freak' isn't that far off I suppose. _Just as Sam was about to turn to Dean and warn him that a vision was possibly coming, his head erupted in pain. He grasped his head tightly, letting out a half-gasping, half-sobbing cry. _Oh crap._

….

Dean turned to Sam in alarm as his brother let out a breathless cry, grabbing his head and hunching over. Immediately, Dean knew. _Vision. Crap!_

The three hunters at the table had turned and were looking at Sam in concern, but Dean was already grabbing him, easing them both down onto the floor, holding Sam tightly in his arms. He shoved them to the back of his mind as Sam let out an agonized sob. _The symptoms are getting worse. _Dean acknowledged grimly, even as he tightened his hold protectively on his baby brother.

"It's okay, Sammy. It'll be over soon. It's okay."

"What's wrong?" Bobby's voice sounded dim in Dean's ears and he didn't bother to answer. Obviously, explanations would happen, but not while Sam was twitching, jerking, in pain.

"…D-D-Dean…" The word was a desperate, agonized plea. "….h-hurts, Dean….p-please…..m-make it st-stop…D-Dean…." Sam buried his face in Dean's chest, his breathing labored, gasping, his whole body tense with pain.

"It's okay, Sammy. Just hang in there. It'll pass, little brother, it'll pass." Every moment that passed where Sam was in this much pain, every struggled breath that passed through Sam's lips, every plea for relief his baby brother made of him, ripped deeper into Dean's heart. He would give anything to be able to spare Sam this agony. _Dang it! Just let the vision __**start**__ already!_

Sam suddenly seized, his whole body jerking, as screams ripped from his throat, raw and piercing. Dean gasped in surprise and pain as Sam's fingers dug into his shirt and chest in response to the sudden rise in agony. "Sam! Sammy! SAM!" Dean called out in panic. It had never been this bad before. "It's okay, Sammy. It'll be over soon. Just hang in there, Sammy. I'm here. I'm here, kiddo." Dean wasn't sure who he was reassuring.

Finally, Sam stiffened, his screams cutting off. Though gratified that the screams had finally ended, Dean still flinched when his baby brother stopped breathing. Seconds passed like hours, each moment his brother continued without breathing feeling like years.

Sam's fingers dropped off his shirt, his whole body going limp, strengthless, in his arms.

Dean gently turned Sam's face towards him, disturbed by the utter stillness of his features. His mouth was lax, his eyes closed, his face coated with sweat and deathly pale. "Sam?" Dean kept his voice soft, gentle.

Sam's eyes fluttered slowly open, tears automatically filling them as a pounding in his head made itself known. A low moan sounded from his throat.

Seeing his pain, Dean gently reached up and began massaging his temples, hoping to ease the headache at least a little.

"D-Dean?" Sam's voice was almost inaudible, his fingers grasping weakly at Dean's t-shirt.

The fear in his voice had Dean holding back a flinch, his big brother instincts flaring up even more than they were already. _Must be a new record. _"I'm here, kiddo. It's over now. You're safe."

Dean finally tuned the rest of the world back in, when he realized that someone was shouting.

"What the heck was _THAT_, John? What's going on? Dean knew how to deal with that _too _well! What aren't you telling us?" Bobby was shouting.

"HEY!" Dean barked sharply, immediately grabbing everyone's attention. "Let me get Sam situated, then I'll explain everything." He said, quietly this time.

As they all sat down, Dean gently gathered his baby brother's weak, limp body in his arms and cradled him carefully to his chest as he stood and sat down on a pulled-out chair, letting Sam lean against him, still holding him against his chest. Taking a deep breath, he started.

….

There was silence at first, after Dean finished the story. Predictably, John was the first one to speak up. "Dean. Son. I still think you're putting too much trust in these visions. We do not tru-"

The flare of fury in Dean's gaze cut John off. "DON'T YOU DARE!" He shouted furiously. "I warned you, dad! I warned you what would happen if you kept up the crap about Sam's visions. Sam trusts them and I, we, trust him. These visions have done nothing but save our own and other's lives. Until you are given a reason to mistrust them, keep your doubts to YOURSELF! Sam doesn't need it and I don't need it! They're painful enough on their own, much less while having to deal with being unable to tell you out of fear that you'll tell him he's an evil freak again!" Dean's harsh gaze swept over his father, then to Pastor Jim and Bobby. He froze, softening, as he saw they were both glaring at John upon hearing the last sentence of his tirade.

Sam listened and watched all this silently, leaning against Dean, still too weak to support himself. Even while furious, Dean's hand still rubbed gentle, soothing circles in his back, aware of how exhausted and drained Sam was. _Please. Please just trust me. I don't want you guys to think of me as a freak too. Please trust me. _Sam's only comfort was that Dean was and always would be on his side. He dug into Dean's chest as best he could, despite his weakness, drawing strength and comfort from his older brother.

Bobby looked over at Sam, his eyes softening as he saw the puppy dog eyes looking so determinedly at Dean's chest rather than meeting anyone's eyes. The sadness, pain, fear there was clear. "We have your back, boy." He said, gruffly. "Until we know otherwise, it makes sense to use the visions to our advantage."

Sam brightened ever so slightly at the realization that at least Bobby would give him the benefit of the doubt.

Pastor Jim smiled slightly. "You never know, Sam. Maybe they're a gift. Clearly, they are doing good."

Hope flared in Sam's eyes and he looked hesitantly over at Pastor Jim and Bobby, both of whom nodded firmly at him, not a hint of doubt or fear or disbelief in their eyes.

_I'm not alone. I'm not alone. _Now content in the knowledge, the exhaustion welled up in him again. His eyes started to drift and he started to lean forward involuntarily, struggling to keep his eyes open, unable to find the energy to hold himself up. Dean's hand was immediately there, gently but firmly bringing him back against his chest again.

"It's okay, Sammy. Rest. You can tell us what you saw later."

Sam's eyes drifted closed and his head fell back gently against his brother's shoulder, sleep overtaking him instantly.

…..

Years of putting his baby brother to sleep and sharing motel rooms meant that Dean knew instantly when Sam had fallen asleep.

Looking up at the other hunters, Dean sighed softly. "Let's go. The sooner we get this over with the happier I will be."

…..

John packed up the boy's stuff, as well as his own, for once. Dean was occupied by his brother, who was still fast asleep. He probably would be for a couple hours yet. The visions were taxing and each vision wiped him out more and more.

Once the car was loaded, Pastor Jim and Bobby climbed into their respective vehicles and John climbed in behind the wheel of the Impala. Dean came out of the motel room a moment later, Sam tucked carefully in his arms. He managed to open the door to the backseat, grumbling about "heavy little brothers" that are "too lazy to walk on their own". Yet he slid into the backseat and held Sam instead of lying him down on the seat.

John had to fight a smile as he looked back and his two boys. _Well, I may not be perfect, but putting Dean in charge of Sam growing up definitely was the right thing to do. It was good for both of them. Dean does better when he has motivation. Sam…..well, the poor kid __**needs**__ to be watched over. _John chuckled slightly, pulling out to follow Pastor Jim and Bobby down the road. _Okay. On to the hunt. _


	3. Chapter 3

Hi all! Here's the third chapter! There'll be one more, I believe, then story three will be over! I have another story planned after this, maybe two, so keep your eyes open! :)

As always, thanks for reading and PLEASE PLEASE review! Thanks so much and enjoy the story! :)

* * *

Sam stirred slightly, eyes fluttering open then closed again, as he slowly began to wake up.

Dean helped Sam slide back onto the seat, but kept a hand on his shoulder to be sure his little brother wasn't just going to topple right over. "Hey, Sammy."

Sam looked over at him, flashing a small smile. "Hi Dean." He looked around, immediately realizing they were in the car, Pastor Jim and Bobby in their own cars driving ahead of them. "We're on our way to Winchester Lake?" he asked.

Dean nodded. "Yeah. You ready to tell us about what you saw?"

Sam hesitated, thinking about the vision he had. It didn't make much sense to him, but maybe his family would get something from it. "Well, a lot of it was scenery. There was a path of trees….they were parted in a strange way, too far apart, not like the rest of the forest. It led to a couple of caves. One of them was bigger than the other, brighter like there was a lot of light inside, and there was a woman standing in the entrance. She wasn't….." Sam shivered at the memory, grateful to feel Dean automatically squeeze his shoulder comfortingly. "She wasn't natural. Normal. Her hair was almost green, like seaweed, you know, really stringy and slimy. Her skin was pale and shimmered a little like she was wet, but she wasn't. She was wearing this tattered white dress. I think it was the water spirit. Her eyes were the worst thing about her. They were completely black with a white patch in the middle. It was really creepy." Sam sighed. "She looked like she was waiting for something. I heard some sort of call, nothing I recognized, and she perked up, like she saw or heard what she was waiting for. That's it."

The car was silent for a moment as his family absorbed that, then Dean decided that Sam was way too solemn and needed to be cheered up. "She sounds like your type, Sammy." He grinned.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Thanks a lot, Dean. I don't even date normal girls, much less supernatural soul stealers. I _am_ only 13, after all." He pointed out. He couldn't hide his smile from his older brother though.

Dean's grin broadened. "You know, Sammy, if you want to pick up _good-looking_ women, you just need to remember this one thing. Act like me."

Sam laughed out loud at that. "Yeah. Right."

…..

Upon arriving at Winchester Lake, the hunters all gathered behind the Impala to discuss their options.

"Based on what Sam saw in his second vision, we can pretty much confirm what he thought about the water spirit being the problem here." John started.

Bobby nodded. He motioned off-handedly at a book that Sam was now holding and flipping through. "From what I've gathered and researched, we have two options to deal with this thing. There's the simple, straightforward way: charge in with iron blades and just decapitate it. Believe it or not that's probably the safer way. The other option is much more dangerous, I think. There's a latin spell that'll kill it, but it has to be feeding while the spell is spoken. Along with that, the person being fed off of has to take a potion that will allow him to speak the spell while he's being fed off of. Unfortunately, it has really nasty side effects after a while. It's risky, but very effective…..I have some of the potion in my car, that I mixed up just now, if that's the route we wanted to take."

John glanced at Pastor Jim and Dean, then nodded. "We've got enough hunters here that the first option is definitely the better one I think."

Agreeing on that, the hunters gathered their weapons. John turned to Sam as they prepared to leave. "Sam I want you to stay here. Water spirits are dangerous and I'm barely willing to let Dean come along on this one. Stay in the car." It was clearly an order.

Sam looked bothered by this, but he knew better than to argue.

Taking pity on his miserable brother, Dean clapped him on the shoulder. "It's alright, Sam. We'll be back before you know it. Wouldn't want to leave my pain in the butt little brother out here by himself for too long. Knowing you, you'd get yourself kidnapped. You're worse than Lois Lane, Samantha." He grinned.

Sam rolled his eyes again in response, but his lips twitched despite all of his efforts otherwise. "You're just jealous that you don't have a Superman to rescue you." Sam responded. He winced a second later. That wasn't his best comeback by far, in fact it would probably make his list of top ten _worst_ comebacks, but Dean's suddenly wider grin was worth the teasing he was sure he would receive later.

Watching as his friends and family walked away, Sam was struck hard by the realization that the group looked exactly like it had in his vision. _I don't like this. Something's wrong._

…

Dean followed his father carefully, the group silent as they followed the path the report said the water had followed. Dean was keeping his eyes open for the scene Sam had described earlier, though he hadn't seen anything like it yet. He suspected they wouldn't see it till they got closer to the area all of the water paths had led to.

…

They were close. John could feel it. The area buzzed with something…..dark. They were definitely close.

A sudden tingling down his spine caused him to stop, frozen in his tracks. Though normally he wouldn't call out, he felt an overwhelming need to make sure Dean was behind him. "Dean?"

His son's cautious, worried tone reached him a second later. "Dad?"

John swallowed hard, tightening his grip on his machete firmly, with a new resolve to end this creature before it killed any more people. "It's here."

….

"Something's wrong, something's wrong, something's wrong."

Sam's nerves were getting the better of him. A horrible, dark, empty feeling in the pit of his stomach was driving him into a frenzy. He _knew_ something had gone wrong. They were in trouble.

Dean's words from before suddenly drifted through his mind. _"I have your back, baby brother, no matter what happens."_

A courage built up in his chest, pushing away the fear and anxiety. Dean always protected him, always had and probably always would. Dean was there for him, even if it meant facing his dad or any number of horrible creatures. No matter the threat, Dean was there, shielding him, defending him. _I have your back too, big brother._

…

Sam grabbed the bottle of putrid looking potion from the back of Bobby's car, quickly glancing at the book once more to make sure he understood the instructions. Once he took it, he would have an hour to make sure the creatures fed and were subsequently killed. Bobby's warning about side effects drifted through his mind, but he determinedly ignored it. _Dean is in trouble. He needs help. I have to do something._

A sudden thought struck Sam. His vision. He pictured the scene the vision had shown him and noticed something he hadn't before. There was a small light near the caves, shining slightly dimmer than the main cave, but still lit. _There's another way in. That's it! _

A plan was forming in his head. The only thing he knew for sure was that if he survived this Dean would kill him.

…..

Dean came to slowly, painfully, shifting slightly as he groaned. His body ached, though he didn't think anything was broken or seriously injured.

"Dean? You awake, son? You have to get up, Dean."

Recognizing his father's voice, Dean forced his eyes open. They widened in surprise as he took in his surroundings. He was lying on the ground in a cave, trapped in a cage with his father, Pastor Jim, and Bobby.

"Oh crap."

…..

There was more than one creature. Dean remembered that much. The ambush had been well planned and well executed. There was no way the hunters would have been able to defeat _four_ of the creatures.

"Sammy's out there alone, dad." Dean whispered softly, glancing at his father, fear in his tone and eyes. _Sam is alone. Sam is alone. We're going to die and Sam will be all alone, defenseless. _

John grimaced at the words. "I know, Dean."

...

The four water spirits were standing nearby. Dean tuned into their conversation, hoping to learn something helpful, though doubting he would. He noticed the other hunters listening as well as the four women got closer, close enough to hear them clearly.

"The young one was nowhere in sight." One said, venomously.

"We must find him!" another, clearly the leader, responded.

Dean glanced at his father in fear and shock. _Sam._

"He is special and I want _him_. The young one is mine. Find him! Find him and bring him to me! His life force will last me _years_ longer than any regular human's would." She made a strange purring-like noise at the thought, causing a shiver of fear and a rush of anger to flood Dean's system. _Don't talk about him like that you freak! You touch him and I swear there's nowhere you will ever be able to hide. I'll rip you apart with my bare hands! _

"It is not fair for you to have him alone!"

"NO! I have reserved the right to him myself! You can all feed off of the hunters, but you may not touch the boy! The young one is _mine_." the leader hissed, furiously.

"Well that doesn't sound fair."

Dean froze at the sudden new voice, fear striking his heart. _Sam. NO! _


	4. Chapter 4

Well, here's the last chapter of the Visions 3 story! I hope everyone enjoyed the story and PLEASE review! Thanks for reading! Just FYI, there's probably going to be at least two more stories in this series, so stay tuned! :)

* * *

Sam snuck down the cave tunnel, stepping quietly, just like his brother and father had taught him. He could hear the water spirits arguing (_crap there's more than one!)_ and felt his blood run cold at the words he heard.

"The young one was nowhere in sight."

_They were looking for __**me**__!_

"We must find him!" another spat angrily. "He is special and I want _him_. The young one is mine. Find him! Find him and bring him to me! His life force will last me _years_ longer than any regular human's would." A bone-chilling purring noise followed that caused Sam's step to falter in the wake of a new wave of fear.

"_Regular human"_? Sam didn't like the sound of that. _What the heck does that mean?_

"It is not fair for you to have him alone!" another shouted.

"NO! I have reserved the right to him myself! You can all feed off of the hunters, but you may not touch the boy! The young one is _mine_." The one from before hissed venomously.

Moving forward, Sam pulled on the last reserves of his courage and pulled a classic "Dean" smirk onto his face. _Well, Dean did say to act like him to attract women…_

Stepping forward, putting as much confidence into his tone as he could, Sam spoke. "Well, that doesn't sound fair."

Immediately, he had everyone's attention. Determinedly _not_ looking at his family, Sam focused instead on the water spirits. _Hopefully the fact that's there four of them won't affect the plan._

"If I'm as special as you say, surely you won't let her take all of my life force. Splitting it up seems fairer."

The water spirits moved closer to him slowly, stopping while there was still a fair distance between them.

"You are very foolish to walk in here, child."

Sam kept the smirk on his face, raising an eyebrow. "What if we make a trade? Release them and I'll come with you willingly. I won't fight you."

Dean's voice suddenly echoed through the cave, pain and horror filling it. "NO! SAM! RUN!"

Sam flinched at the scream, his façade breaking for just a moment before he forced himself to fully face the water spirits. He couldn't quite achieve the same level of cockiness that he had before.

One of the water spirits stepped forward, her face serious, though Sam could see a glint of amusement and contempt in her eyes. "Agreed."

_Yeah, right. Like you'd ever really agree to that. Apparently, you think I'm really stupid. _Sam managed to keep his thoughts from showing on his face.

"The children always do taste best. Their souls aren't tainted by the years of life, still so innocent and naïve." One of the water spirits cackled with a pointed look at him.

Sam shuddered at the thought, but refused to back down, instead stepping forward, closer to the creatures.

Another scream from Dean, begging him to run, had Sam flinching again, but he didn't even have time to glance at his brother before the water spirits were moving.

With unnatural speed, they appeared at his side, pushing him roughly to the ground.

A second later, agony blossomed in his chest, spreading quickly till there wasn't a single inch of him that didn't burn, ache, scream. Something warm and wet trickled from his nose, ears, mouth and some distant part of him recognized that he was bleeding, probably severely. His whole body jerked and seized, emanating white light faintly as they fed and for a second, his mind was wiped blank by the agony. A blood-curdling scream ripped from him, echoing disturbingly through the large cave, multiplying the sound till it was almost deafening.

He knew the moment the potion kicked in.

Despite the ever-growing pain, his mind cleared enough that he remembered what he was doing, remembered the spell he had memorized in record time. He noticed the distant screaming, his heart aching a little as he recognized Dean's terrified, desperate voice among the yells of the other angry hunters. He began to murmur the spell, interrupted occasionally by the whimpers he couldn't contain.

The water spirits slowed their attack as he got farther into the spell and his voice rose accordingly, till it was almost a shout, desperate and determined. Finally, the water spirits pulled away from him, shrieking in agony as they began to slowly melt, water pouring from them in torrents, their bodies shrinking and shriveling, till finally all that was left was the puddles of water on the floor.

….

Sam lay on the cave floor, chest heaving, face white, the blood continuing to pour from his nose, ears, and mouth. Never in his young life had he felt so weak, so drained.

Only the sound of his family calling him, the desperation clear in their voices, gave him the will power and strength to turn onto his side and slowly push himself to his hands and knees. He tried to push himself to his feet, but crumpled back to the floor immediately, barely making it up off his hands. He didn't move for a second, eyes closed, breathing hard. Finally, he tried again, pushing himself up to his hands and knees. This time, he didn't try to go up any higher. He crawled, slowly, painfully over to the cage where his family was waiting.

Sam would later label it as one of the hardest things he had ever done. Never had he wanted to give up so badly. However, his brother's soft encouragement kept him going until he nearly collided with the bars. He slumped to the floor again, breathless, sides heaving painfully.

A soft touch on his cheek roused him slightly. His eyes fluttered open, but his vision was blurry and distorted and it wasn't until his brother spoke that he realized whose touch it was. "It's okay, Sammy. It's okay. You just have to get us out, little brother, then you can rest. You've done good, kiddo, just a little bit farther."

Sam forced himself to concentrate and scanned the cage, counting the blurry figures he could see to make sure everyone was there. "Dean?" his voice was weak, raw, slightly hoarse from screaming.

"Yeah, Sammy." His voice was gentle and patient.

Sam grasped the bars and, with great effort, managed to push himself up and drag himself over to the door of the cage. Managing to grab the small lock pick out of his pocket, he started fiddling with the lock that he could barely see, much less properly pick. His shaking hands made it even harder. His head seemed fuzzy and he was struggling to concentrate or think clearly, but he was determined to finish the rescue he had started. _I have your back, Dean. I have to show Dean…..have to be there for Dean…_

The figure Sam eventually identified as his dad moved forward slightly. Sam was surprised to hear the worry in his voice when he spoke.

"How could you have done that? Sam, you should have known they didn't plan to make the trade!" John reprimanded lightly, still pained at the memory of his baby boy screaming.

"We're just lucky you knew that spell, Sam." Bobby commented.

Sam's response was almost inaudible. "I knew they didn't mean it when they agreed."

They froze immediately, staring at Sam for a moment before Bobby spoke.

"You took the potion. You tried the other option."

Dean immediately exploded.

"You _planned_ that? Are you CRAZY?" he choked, furiously.

Sam paused, still staring at the lock, then continued, murmuring quietly. "I didn't think it would hurt so bad." Another pause, then, "It worked, didn't it?"

He tried with the lock again, frustration welling up as he couldn't even get the pick into the lock's hole, due to his shaking hands and clouded head. Finally, he stopped, resting his aching head against the cool bars.

The picture of such clear distress had Dean moving forward again.

"Dean, can you…..I can't…help me, please?" Sam finally begged softly, sounding near tears.

Dean's face softened, the anger draining away. He never had been able to remain angry at his little brother for long, especially when Sam was so obviously weak and in need. He shoved his hands through the bars, gently grabbing Sam's hands and guiding them as he picked the lock.

As soon as the lock was picked, Dean carefully pushed the door open, sliding out through the small space. Grabbing Sam as he swayed, Dean couldn't help but notice that his baby brother looked half-dead: exhaustion and residual pain clear in his tense expression. He gently pulled Sam into his arms, scooting away from the cage so the other hunters could push the door open more and get out.

"Watch him carefully, Dean. The potion he took has nasty side effects."

John took one look at his pale child before coming quickly to a decision. "Let's get him out of here."

….

Dean refused to let anyone touch his brother. He personally carried Sam all the way out to the car, refusing to relinquish his burden even after they got there, choosing instead to sit in the back with Sam so he could keep a close eye on him. This hunt had been too close, had almost cost him the baby brother he had raised, his best friend. Sam definitely wouldn't be leaving his sight for a long time.

….

Sam was starting to feel really sick. He wasn't sure if it was from the potion or the feeding, but either way he wished it would just end already. He felt awful. His stomach churned uncomfortably, painfully, and every muscle ached tremendously. He knew he was getting feverish and silently cursed as he realized the worst was probably still coming.

…

Dean didn't like the turn for the worse his brother was taking. Sam looked out of it, his face pale and still covered in dried blood, though he had stopped bleeding a few minutes before. Pain flickered across his face several times and Dean swallowed hard as the thought crossed his mind that Sam was probably going to get sick. Having raised Sam from the tender age of six months old (Dean himself only being about four), he knew the signs of Sam getting a fever.

Deciding that Sam needed to be cheered up a little, Dean sighed melodramatically, almost immediately getting Sam's attention.

"What?" Sam asked, curiously.

"You know, Sammy, when I said you should act like me to get women, that's not exactly what I meant. I was picturing _hot_ women. Human, for starters. Preferably ones that _don't_ have a taste for souls."

Sam's lips twitched as he fought a smile. "I don't know, Dean, the girls you hook up with don't act human and if they aren't after your soul, I don't know what else you could offer….."

Dean raised his eyebrows. "Sammy. Bashing a man's ability to get women is low. You know, you're going to have to suffer for that, right?" His mock-serious expression was supposed to make Sam laugh, but Dean bit back a worried sigh when Sam winced and turned away, a distant look coming into Sam's eyes. "Been there. Done that."

Finally Dean decided that, chick-flick moment inducing or not, they needed to talk. "Are you okay, Sammy?"

Sam didn't answer at first. Just as Dean thought he was going to have to do this the hard way, Sam looked up at him slowly, meeting his eyes after a moment. "I was just thinking….."

Dean raised an eyebrow when Sam stopped. "….about….?" he urged, with only a little bit of impatience.

Sam hesitated, then continued softly. "I was so scared, Dean. I didn't know if I could help you or if my plan would work….I was so scared." He admitted. "I just…..I just wish I was…..was more like you." _Gosh I can't believe I'm actually saying this out loud. I swear it must be the developing fever. _"You wouldn't have been scared."

Dean couldn't help but be amazed by Sam. The kid was the smartest person he knew, definitely one of the bravest. He had seen so much, too much, of the evil in the world. And yet he managed to keep his innocence. He managed to remain so….naive….when it came to so many things. It both amazed and amused Dean. _Though I have to admit, I am kinda glad he still hasn't grown out of the hero worship thing he's got going. _Dean bit back the chuckle that threatened at that thought, knowing Sam would think he was being laughed at for being frightened, which wasn't the case at all.

"Sam, it's okay to be afraid. You did a great job and what you did was very brave. You were scared, but you did it anyway. That's what counts, Sam. You know, kiddo…..I would have been afraid too. It's only natural, Sammy. Courage isn't never being afraid. 'Courage is being scared to death – but saddling up anyway.'"

Sam chuckled, then threw Dean a weak smile. "John Wayne, Dean? Seriously?"

Dean winced. "It's been a long day, Sam. Give me a break." He said slightly defensively. "I'm trying to give you some good advice here."

Sam's smile softened. "I know, Dean. Thanks."

"Anytime, kiddo."

Dean stiffened slightly as Sam's eyes fluttered closed, his body beginning to slump to the side limply. He gently caught his little brother, alarmed to realize that Sam had fainted.

"Sam just passed out, dad." He warned.

John looked back on his boys in concern. "It's okay, Dean. We'll get him back to the motel and get him situated."

…

Over the next couple of days, Dean's gentle ministrations helped Sam through the worst of the side effects. The worst came when Sam's body finally purged the potion. He threw up violently and exhaustingly for hours, till he was simply heaving when he had nothing more to give. Dean sat with him the whole time, rubbing his back, speaking soothingly, helping as best he could.

It got a lot better after that, Sam beginning to improve instead of worsen. He slept a lot, eating and drinking more as he recovered.

When the time came, they were glad to be putting the blasted town behind them.

…..

Sam watched the passing scenery quietly, his thoughts quiet and peaceful for once. They were moving on to another hunt after several weeks of recovery time. Restless, Sam was ready to move on. He knew his dad and Dean were too, though neither had complained or even suggested it until Sam did.

Sam's gaze slid over to his family in the front seat, his thoughts moving to them as well. Dean had been a constant through the recovery, through his violent sickness, and Sam couldn't help but feel warm and touched at the memories of his brother playing nurse so tenderly. Despite all his talk, Dean was a lot more caring and gentle than he ever let on. And Sam knew the message he had been straining so desperately to convey had been received. _You'll watch my back, Dean, and I'll watch yours. We're a team. The protection goes two ways. _

Dean glanced back at his brother, feeling Sam's eyes on him. "You okay, Sammy?"

Sam smiled, dimples and all, and nodded. _See. _"Yeah, Dean. I'm good."


End file.
